Near the northwest corner of Dundee and Sanders roads lies the Aux Plaine Cemetery, a pioneer burial ground connected to an early Evangelical church built around 1847.
Many of the area’s early European settlers came from the Alsace-Lorraine region near present-day France and Germany. Members of the congregation and their families were buried in the churchyard west of the building. Historical accounts suggest that as many as 125 people may have been buried there, although the exact number is unknown.
A 1937 plat map shows the cemetery alongside nearby buildings, including a garage, and the roads that bordered the property. Over time, the original church was dismantled, the cemetery became overgrown, and its headstones disappeared. A 1995 Pioneer Press article renewed efforts to preserve the site and remember those buried there.
In 2005, then-Director of Public Works, Jim Reynolds, documented the cemetery’s history as development was considered for the property. The Schinleber family, whose ancestors were buried there, and other descendants maintained an interest in recognizing the site’s significance.
Before Chase Bank was constructed, the developer funded a ground-penetrating radar survey to investigate possible graves. Through cooperation among the Village, the Northbrook History Museum, descendants, and others, a memorial stone was eventually installed to honor those buried at Aux Plaine Cemetery.
Today, the cemetery’s story reminds us that Northbrook’s history is sometimes hidden in plain sight, and that remembering those who came before us helps preserve the story of our community.
